(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to remote power delivery systems and methods, and more particularly to a remote power delivery system and method that supplies power to locations exterior to an underwater vehicle's hull.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Currently, underwater vehicles have on-hull sensor arrays connected to the inboard side of the underwater vehicles by means of large, heavy expensive wiring harnesses. The sensors are embedded in a polymer material and are located several inches above the hull of the underwater vehicle. It would be desirable to deliver power to the sensor arrays without the use of large wiring harnesses in order to reduce costs and the overall weight of the system, and to improve reliability.
To address this problem, U.S. Pat. No. 7,170,821 discloses a method and apparatus for delivering power to a series of remote sensors in an on-hull sensor grid for the purpose of biasing the sensors' active circuitry. It requires no physical connection between the source of power and the sensor. It works by delivering electrical energy across the insulating gap that separates the sensor from the hull by means of a displacement current. In particular, the method and device include a conducting layer interposed between inner and outer layers and a ground plane interposed between a bonding layer and the inner layer. An application of alternating current to the ground plane will activate the conducting layer and provide power to the sensors at a location of the outer layer. The inner layer acts as a capacitor and the ground plane further provides an electrical path back to the hull. However, this approach requires the use of two conducting layers and electrical connection of all sensors to one of the conducting layers.